Panama Ed

Okay, so it's a silly name based on a Grateful Dead song of all things, but there is a story (not much of one).  The proprietor of this fine place told me his name several times - something like Edrrrrrrranciel.  He says I'm not the only one who doesn't get it.  Anyway, he said, "Just call me Ed.". There - now on with the story.

View from My Balcony of  Bridge of the Americas

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My Bathroom (Looks like the one we had as children)

View from the top of Ancon Hill

I'm not sure what I expected to find in Panama City, but I'm pretty sure this wasn't it.  The city seems very cosmopolitan and is loaded with unusual skyscrapers which seem, for the most part, to be clumped together.  There is an old town which is currently under major construction but is full of beautiful old buildings with wrought iron gates and balconies on narrow streets.  Ships line up in the Pacific Ocean to go through the canal, and the ocean seems WAY calmer than the Pacific Ocean with which I'm acquainted.  The coolest thing, though, is Ancon Hill where I'm staying. This hill used to be owned by America's military as is evidenced by the base-style housing.   It's an actual small rain forest within the city limits and is literally teeming with wildlife.  I have seen Tamarin monkeys, parrots, toucans and a variety of other birds, all from my very own balcony with the most comfortable hammock.  There is also a large rodent (not as large as a Capybara but similar looking) who roams around all over this hill. It's called a Central American Agouti. The one thing i have determined is that this country bears closer inspection.  I haven't ventured too far, having only a few days here and liking the idea of staying put after a long and fairly active trip, but I walk up to the top of the Hill in the morning and evening to look at the trees, birds and to watch large vessels go through the Miraflores Locks.  For a relatively small country, you could spend time here exploring its forests, mountains and what appears to be great beaches.  But that's for another trip.  See y'all soon!

You Gotta See This!

Unless you're shy, prudish or under age.  But first -. A brief summary of my day.  Having miscalculated my departure, I was unable to stay at my standby hotel, Kusillus, tonight while waiting for my departure.  I ended up paying four times their rate of $17/night and booked a place in San Ysidro for $80/night (all I could find).  You would not believe what you can get in Lima for $80!  I have a two bedroom, two bath suite in an upscale neighborhood.   This place is unbelievable!  Two big tv's, full kitchen, bathtub, etc. in a neighborhood where people have varnished garage doors and tall walls with spikes to "protect" themselves (I guess).  Met a guy named Frank here who is from LA and travels with a hip hop group called Killafornia.  He's off to Russia after here.  And a woman named Camille who researches health and wellness spas in different places and writes about them.

Dead Men Masturbating

Depicting Venereal Disease 

On my last day here, I visited the Museo de Larco which has the largest collection of pre - Columbian pottery.  Really interesting!  I've included a few pictures.  WARNING - CONTAINS ADULT MATERIAL and just some weird stuff.

People with Facial Paralysis?  You Betcha!

Really!  There was everything you can imagine.  I've only included a few.  What an interesting place!  I also found an Inkan pyramid in the center of Lima surrounded by homes and highrises.  It was used as a burial Site.  Off to Panama in the middle of the night.  Bye for now.

The Sad City?

The Lonely Planet book refers to Lima as the sad city due to the fact that it is pretty constantly blanketed in fog (not unlike San Francisco).  As cities go, it has sort of grown on me.  It's huge, parts of it are unsafe, and the traffic is fairly horrendous but you can get around in taxis for about 10-15 solés (the equivalent of 4-10$ US). Today I took a taxi to the Plaza de Armas which is full of people hanging out and very important looking buildings with guards and policia.  By the way, in case you haven't figured it out or I haven't told you, every town/city/pueblo has a Plaza de Armas.  I went to Iglesias Santa Domingo mainly for my friend, Paulette (they have the skulls of dead saints encased in glass, especially Santa Rosa).  I then walked to the Parque de La Reserva where the Circuito Magico del Agua happens at night, skipping the catacombs in the Monasterio de San Francisco (sorry Paulette).  The park and fountains are incredible - something like the Bellagio in Las Vegas but with that weird Latin American slant.  There was a talent show involving five acts and the young man who won hugged his father and cried while being filmed.  (The losers were gracious.). There were two bride/groom couples and a few prom queen's/princesses? walking around while a train took children and their parents on a tour of the fountain park.  Where else could you see all that?  I loved it!  I leave tomorrow night, so tomorrow is my last day in Peru.  I plan to visit Museo Larco where the largest collection of pre-Columbian erotica (and other) ceramic art is housed, including a piece showing transmission of venereal diseases???  I'll let you know.

Flower Market 

Doesn't look so sad after all.

It's A Jungle Out There

My Guide, Jhonatan 

I can't even think of how to describe this place.  First of all, it is oppressively hot with temperatures and humidity in at least the high 80's. It is darn hot!  Secondly, you must wear long sleeved shirts, long pants, rubber boots (have you ever hiked in rubber boots?) and preferably a hat.  The reason for this is to protect you while in the jungle from coral snakes, fire antz, a palm tree with spikes, the very poisonous Fer de Lance, etc.  Having said all of that, it is really amazing here.  The people who I have met are incredibly knowledgeable about their jungle and willing to teach you.  The jungle itself is indescribable.  Today we hiked about 3 1/2 miles each way (in rubber boots) to a lake that was beautiful.  We saw an anteater, toucans, hoatzin birds, caracaras, hawks and a sloth that we actually were able to touch.  I have ziplined, fished for piranhas, gone night canoeing and got caught in the most amazing downpour I have ever experienced.  I met some great people including a man in his 80's (Bob) who is going through his bucket list, a young woman (Rose) who is spending a year and a half completing her thesis on the habits of the red urikari monkey and of course Cindy and Luke who have been great people to get to know and who I have hiked with AND ziplined with, and Ellis and Sarah who I accompanied on a fishing excursion - FUN!  I will be leaving in the morning.  Back to Lima for a day and then to Panama for a few days, but I will really miss this place and hope to return sometime.  I highly recommend this to everyone as it will be unlike anything you have experienced and something you'll never, ever forget - I promise!

I'm In the Jungle!

Where to start?  I know I mentioned Iquitos but it is one of the more interesting cities I've seen.  One of the guides said the town has more than 50,000 motor taxis (basically tuk-tuks).  Gambling is also legal and there are discotheques.  Yes, discotheques complete with flashing lights and balloons and stuff.  Anyway, it's a very interesting place, but the Tahuayo Lodge is "chanatre".  That is supposed to be Spanish for really cool, awesome, splendid. . . You get it, but I may have misspelled it.  It's just amazing here.  We took a covered sort of ferry boat about two hours up the Amazon river which is enormously incredible, stopped in a little village called Esperanza where there were nice people and a band playing.  Then another two hours on the Tahuayo river to get here.  Already, I've seen and in some cases photographed, pygmy marmosets, squirrel monkeys, parrots and other birds of the jungle (I can't remember all their names).  It's beginning to get dark and I'm looking forward to the night sounds.  What a place! Oh, and the people are really nice too!  Today I met Cindy and Luke from Las Vegas and Ellis and Sara from Alberta.  Each of us has their own guide and mine is Jonathan who is 21 and a really knowledgeable person - and he makes monkey calls which is why I saw so many monkeys today.  Tonight we took a boat up river and looked for wildlife.  We saw Tahuayo birds which are called that because their call sounds like they're saying Tahuayo.  They glow in the dark!  There were fireflies and a caiman and some kind of night heron and we turned off our headlamps while floating in the river and listened to jungle sounds and looked at the stars and the river - magical!

Sorry - No pictures today, but some later.

Off to the jungle

Very difficult to write here, but I'll try.  The plane flew over miles and miles of jungle and Iquitos is insane in a charming sort of way.  The Amazon is huge and the town is over run with tuk-tuks.

Puno Actually Rocks!

Okay, I admit when I'm wrong.  Everything else I said still applies,  but it turns out that the gunshots were firecrackers as there is now a brass band going up and down the street which is making the horns beep more but all in good fun.  Yay!  Wonder what the occasion is. . . .
It's La Celebracion de Los Universidads and the fun doesn't stop.  After an incredible day on Lake Titicaca today - and I really mean totally cool - we were dropped off near to our hotel because there were people dancing in the streets.  It's still going on and it's a really big deal with some of the coolest angel and devil and monster costumes I've ever seen!  The guys are amazing dancers.  They jump and flip and really get into it.  The girls are all beautiful but don't get into it as much (probably because they want to look sexy, which they do).  Anyway, I feel very fortunate to be here for this.  I have taken photos and video but nothing can capture the spirit of joy and celebration that is going on in Puno.  So, I was way off base in my initial judgment and apologize to the Ciudad de Puno.  (It's still dirty and noisy though.).

Parade

Isla Tequile 

Isla Uros

The voyage on the lake was also amazing involving three hours to and from Isla Tequile.  The Uros aren't so far.  I loved the Uros people and walking on their floating island,  riding on a reed boat and even being invited into their home was incredible.  The Tequile people weren't as friendly, but made us a meal consisting of lake trout, quinoa soup, unleavened bread and some spicy salsa that was amazing!  The most incredible part was just being on this beautiful lake that's close to 12,000 feet in elevation!  The colors of the water and the sky were breathtaking.  Pictures will not do it justice.  And I'm really sorry Puno for the bad review.  You definitely don't deserve it.

This Place Sucks!

Had the upstairs picture Window seat on the 7 hour bus trip from Cusco to Puno.  The good news about that is of course the view.  The bad news is that you can see trucks and buses heading directly toward you as they (or the bus I was riding) pass where there is no room to pass.  Crazy!   A young man sat next to me and was connected in some way with the couple across the aisle.  I immediately thought Italian by the accent, constant talk except when he was eating (and sometimes even then) and I was right.  It turned out that Ernesto is living in Cusco and working for a non-government organization that is trying to improve the lives of women, especially mothers, who live in the country (not in the city - duh).  Anyway he is showing his parents from Napoli around and we all made friends and exchanged phones, emails, etc. and Marilina says I can visit her in Naples anytime despite the fact that she speaks very little English and my Italian stinks.  That's not even the best part.  The best part is that they shared some genuine Italian Gouda that was unbelievable.  The countryside was also spectacular with people herding sheep, cows and llamas - sort of high plains with mountains in the distance. . . Beautiful!

View from the Bus

View from my Room 

Okay, so now for the rest of it.  Puno is a horrid, loud, dirty town that reminds me of the worst parts of East Oakland on steroids and in Spanish.  From this room, I hear lots of horns and traffic interspersed sith the occasional siren and gunshots.  The good news is that tomorrow morning I leave for Lake Titicaca and then be on the night bus out of this hellhole and on to the jungle.  Yikes I am crazy!  Here are some pictures anyway. I seem to be having technical difficulties, so the one picture is typical dress for this region and the virgin Mary is right outside my room in a glass encased altar.

Ollantaytambo, Cusco and Onward!

Left Aguas and Machu Picchu sadly after spending the morning walking along the river and visiting the Jardin Botanica where I saw a lot of birds which I will need to research upon my return.  Walking back to town, I met Erika (Spokane) and Maria (Holland) who were on their way back to Cusco where they are volunteering at a school.  Erika was interested in my Katadyn water filter because her boyfriend has just designed a new (and he thinks better) filter system.  If you're interested, it's called the Grayl and you can see it (and even invest if you want) at a site called Kickstarters.  I then said adios por ahora to my new friend, Soledad and headed off to the train.  I'm not sure how, but I had seat No. 1 which is the very front seat of the train with a big picture Window.  It was very cool, except for the very large grouchy German guy sitting next to me with a horrible butt crack (he kept getting up to take pictures in the back of the car and flashing it at me - yuk!).
Got back to Ollantaytambo, walked around town, painted, had a Peruvian burrito (yummy) and came back to my hotel where I met Tom, Victoria, Alan And Kerry from Santa Barbara. They offered me a glass of wine.  Do I ever refuse a glass of wine?  They are all archeology buffs who had just returned from Keulap, Chiclayo, Sipán and Huaca el Bruja (maybe others?).  With the exception of Chiclayo which is a pueblo, they are all ruins in a not easily accessible area of Northern Peru  from different cultures.  They showed me pictures of relief carvings and mummies that were totally amazing.  I'm thinking another trip to Peru????

Moray

A Street in Ollantaytambo 

Victoria, Kerry, Alan And Tom

Looking Down on Ollantaytambo 

We ended up spending the next day visiting Salinas and Moray and I had a great time and learned some things too!  For instance, it's believed that Moray was sort of an Inkan laboratory for crops with each concentric circle having its own microclimate.  (Thanks Kerry!).  They are kind, smart and fun people and I hope our paths cross in the future.

I left Ollantaytambo by taking two combis (think VW van with 15-20 people).  Hey, it only cost 7.5 soles to get to Cusco!  Met a young woman named Lauren from DC who has received a grant to study the Quecha language and will be living in Urubamba until next April.  Upon returning to Cusco l walked up to Sacsaywamán, but couldn't get in without paying a lot (bummer) and the sun was beginning to set so I walked back down through the square.  The good news is that I was able to walk up hills and stairs without altitude sickness so I've adjusted and it's off to Puno and Lake Titicaca I go!

A Dream Come True - And Then Some!

 Greetings from Machu Picchu!  I couldn't sleep last night I was so excited.  I awoke at four, had breakfast, packed my stuff and beaded for the 5:30 bus (the first one of the day).  As you can hopefully see from the photos, the clouds gave the whole place an other wordly feeling.  I met a new friend at the hitching post to the sun (Helen from Sweden), which is said to be very sacred - and I certainly felt that it was.  I got to explore a lot with small crowds which was great.  Pictured is the hut of the caretaker of the funerary rock (the roofed place) with Huayna Picchu showing through the fog.  The other two pictures are a distant shot of Intihutana where the hitching post to the sun resides and just a shot of surrounding peaks covered in fog.  Then there is a picture of my friend, Soledad, who works at the hotel where I am staying in Aquas Calientes.  She helps me practice my Spanish.  Okay, and last but in this case not least is me at the PEAK of Huayna Picchu!  Yes friends - I did it!  So, today was an amazing day for me.  I fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting one of the truly sacred, and incredibly breathtakingly beautiful places on the planet and I climbed a pretty big Mountain (for me anyway).  Not a bad day.  May you all have days that make you feel this happy.  Bye for now.

Soledad

More Communication -Oye!

Ummm - Read Below 

I wasn't going to write anything tonight but I'm just so happy!  The train ride was totally amazing and the nice ticket guy upgraded me to a vistadome car and I had all four seats (table setting with seats facing each other) to myself AND they give you free yummy snacks!  I met a really nice couple (Linda & Gary) at the station who had lived in Petaluma but now live in San Ramon.  So Las Terrazas del Incas, my hotel, is fantastic and the Urubamba River runs right in front of it and there are new kinds of birds too!  Every restaurant around here has the same boring menu and it's hard to figure out where to eat.  So I asked Soledad, my new amiga at the hotel, and she said Indio Feliz.  I asked her three times because I thought she was telling me happy something (I guess she was).  You can only get an idea of the place from the picture.  It is so over the top in every way: fantastic food, amazing artwork done by Patrick who is the owner and is originally from Provence.  There were rooms and rooms, upstairs and down and each with a personality.  I loved it!  I ran into Linda and Gary on my way back to my room and they ended up eating there also.  What a trip - a place like that in the middle of a small pueblo in the middle of a cloud forest on the road to Machu Picchu which is where I'm going tomorrow!  Yay!

Views All Over

On the Train to Aguas Calientes

Communication

The View from the Cafe Where I'm Writing This 

The thing is that reception is very spotty in this part of the world and I believe it will get worse.  That being said, I seem to be able to access my blog (thank you Billy), but not Google or yahoo.  Weird!  But the good news is I'M On MY WAY TO MACHU PICCHU!  I am so excited!  Paulette - I will do my best to take a picture of a woman doing laundry, but it won't be easy.  People here do not like to have their pictures taken.  Yesterday I was taking a picture of a girl and a man was walking up the road.  He accosted me and told me I owed him 60 soles!  That's a lot of money in either country (about 25 US).  I did not pay him - he wasn't nice. Hasta lluego o mas tarde!

Awesome!

I have arrived safely in Ollantaytambo after a very hair-raising ride here.  It's a fairly long way but Lilia at my hostel in Cusco said this was the best way to go so who am I to question?  I was in a very small taxi with two others in the back seat with me, a passenger in the front and the driver.  Of course, everyone was Peruvian!  I don't think the driver took one curve at less tan 50 mph.  Woohoo!  I really like this little pueblo which is pure Incan.  Also, as it is only around 8500 feet in altitude, my headache is gone.  Yay!  There are narrow cobblestone streets and ruins all over the surrounding mountains and a very amazing water system running down many of the narrow little streets with children playing by them and women doing laundry, etc.  The colors, sounds and smells of this place are.  . . Well, awesome (hence the title).

Not to be discouraged by the altitude, I have decided to attempt Lake Titicaca!  I may be crazy, but it looks so beautiful, so we'll see.  I'm armed with soroche pills, coca candy and mate de coca.  With all that, I should be able to climb Everest!
Pictures are on the way to the Sacred Valley (while going very fast!).   The other is self explanatory taken in Ollantaytambo (Ollanta for short).

(Don't) Take Me Higher

While the weather in Lima was not bad, it was overcast a lot and I'm happy to see the sun.  The short plane ride to Cusco is amazing with views of terraced mountains and jagged, snow-covered peaks.  Really beautiful to behold.  Met a very nice couple from Orange County (she was Ecuadorian) and exchanged emails, etc.  Upon disembarking the plane, I did feel a bit lightheaded and had a slight headache, but not unmanageable.  However, the hostel I'm staying in has an unlimited supply of hot water and mate de coca teabags.  It works!  Headache gone and feeling fine.  The pictures are from the taxi on the way here and the view from my room of the courtyard.

Los Aves!

Hello again from Lima.
So, I have discovered a small problem with not being able to load pictures on this teeny tiny playbook (which is wonderful by the way).  Keyboards here are not configured like they are at home and, after messing about with ingerfloggen (don't ask me), on the BIG computer at my hostel, I gave up.  I took about a million pictures of seabirds today and you won't get to see them until I get home - Uh, maybe that's a good thing.

However, you will get to see a picture of my new friends, Natasha (lovely person and world traveler) and Andy, her faithful sidekick and Kung-Fu teacher and owner of Jing Ying Kung-Fu Academy in Alberta, which is incidentally where they are from.  They were nice people on their way South and I wish them happy travels.  See their picture above.  The other picture is from Cafe Haiti (recommended in Lonely Planet).  The book says their food is good (true) and their Pisco Sours pack a wallop (also true).  This innocent looking little dish, however, also packs a HUGE wallop!   It was a spicy,  peppery salsa -yummy!

I cannot say enough positive things about the places I have visited (Islas Ballestas especially) and the warm and kind people I have met.  On the way to my room in Pisco yesterday, I was  in a taxi with two men, neither of whom spoke much English and feeling just a little intimidated.  By the time we arrived at my hotel, we were shaking hands and had become friends - and I learned a few more Spanish words as a bonus!

Oye, The Bus!

Today was the bus ride to Pisco and it took longer than I expected.  I mean four hours is four hours but the sky was gray and the hills were tan with occasional oases.  The bland landscape was sometimes dotted with tiny houses,if you could even call them houses.  It made me feel sad.  However, as we approached Paracas, the sun began to shine, I got off the bus and three very kind people were waiting to drive me to Pisco.  It's really nice here.  The people are kind, the food is great, the square is hopping and the Pisco Sours are amazing.  Tomorrow morning I'm off to Islas Ballestas - something I've been looking forward to.
My favorites of the day:
The Trust Me Hotel (would you stay there?) and
"The bathroom on this bus is for urinary purposes only.  If you need the bathroom for other purposes, please notify the driver."
Really!  We were also served a hot lunch and watched Mission Impossible 3 en Espanol of course!

Lima Bein'

.

Day two here and, while it's a big city, it's not too bad.  Anytime you can spend the day at the beach is good with me.  There are an incredible number of surfers here and lots of VW minivans decorated with surfboards - real and otherwise.  Walked a lot today and saw only a small part of this rather large Ciudad.  Thanks to Roberto, I have bus tickets to Paracas tomorrow and I didn't get lost once.  The people here are very kind and already my Spanish is improving.  Off to Islas Ballestas tomorrow to see many birds (hopefully).
By the way. Skinny jeans, high heels and leggings are very "in " here.
Also, the paraglider in the picture is one of many who seem to be constantly hovering above the tall buildings.  I'm surprised they manage to avoid what seems like certain death to me!

Lima At Last! And It's Nicer Than I Thought.

I have to write this down before I forget.  I'M still in the airport and it's already bizarre.  On the bus was a woman from New York City who literally talked from Rohnert Park to the airport. "If he frigging doesn't own the car, he shouldn't frigging SIT in the car."  and  "Tony Soprano is too fat!  I like that guy, D'Onofrio.  He's really cute and Italian.  I'm Italian and Irish and Armenian."  What a trip!  She was offering white wine to everyone who got on the bus and, since no one would take it, she decided she would give it to soldiers returning home when she got to the airport.
So, I arrived at the airport where my bag was run through the scanner three times because of my water filter!  Finally a young man from Santa Rosa (Yes - Santa Rosa) unpacked my bag and found the guilty object!  It turns out that he will soon be transferred to the Sonoma County Airport which made him very happy.  No commute.  So, all ended well. . .
I still have several Airports to go through, so who knows what lies ahead.
11:30 p.m.
Okay, I got here (that would be LA) before nine, called home and got in line.  I have never seen so much luggage ahead of me.  Totally insane.  I think they had the rest of their family in those suitcases!  lThe line took over two hours but I met a very nice family from Panama so all was not lost.
P.S.  It's not a good idea to bring a water filtration bottle in your carry on - It really confuses airport security.  Onward!

Okay!  So, I made it to Lima and, after a grueling day and a half of airports and planes, I'M HERE!  I walked to the ocean and had some wine and food and watched families walking and children playing and surfers surfing while the sun set.  It was great!  On the way home, I met two young German tourists who were asking a security guard for directions.  It just made sense that they were looking for the place where I am staying and sure enough!  So I led them to Kusillus (which means monkey in Quetcha) and it is okay, clean and safe, especially for the price!

Tomorrow I explore Lima!